Great Quotes From the 2012 Grammy Awards Red Carpet: Whitney Houston Memories and More

Take a look at what celebs had to say before celebrating music's biggest night

By Rachel Brethauer Feb 13, 2012 12:02 AMTags
Paris HiltonLarry Busacca/Getty Images For The Recording Academy

Music's biggest celebs gathered for the 54th Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles tonight, and they had plenty to say about Whitney Houston's passing yesterday, and more.

Here are the best quotes and quips from the Grammys red carpet:

"A lot of people stayed up real late trying to figure something out, and I hope that Whitney Houston's family and friends, first of all, and the rest of the people watching appreciate what we do."
—Grammy host LL Cool J on finding the best way to pay tribute to Whitney Houston during the awards.

"She sang the backdrop of our lives, you know. She really was the soundtrack of a lot of emotions and the different moments that we've all went through over these last 25 years."
Billy Ray Cyrus on Whitney Houston

"They actually used to DJ my parties starting like 8 years ago, and they'd always play 'I'm in Miami, Bitch' and now it's one of the biggest hits in the world, and I'm so proud of them."
Paris Hilton on her friends, LMFAO

"I remember when I first heard Whitney, I called Clive Davis on the phone and said "you really got the right artist, she's the greatest singer I've ever heard."
Tony Bennett on his first time hearing Whitney Houston

"She would want it to be celebratory and to be about the music. She loved what she did."
—Whitney's close friend, Kelly Price on how Whitney would want tonight's ceremony to be

"Yeah, good thing it's the year that Adele released the greatest record ever. I don't think we're gonna be walking home with that one."
—Foo Fighter Dave Grohl on his band's chances at winning Album of the Year

"My heart is heavy. My prayers go out to her mother, her daughter. Because if we feel this great of a loss, I can only imagine how heavy their hearts are."
Kelly Rowland, on Whitney Houston's passing

 

"She impacted everybody. She's unbelievable. She's Whitney frigging Houston. So we're all just very upset, and still in shock."
Adam Levine on Whitney Houston

"We can let music heal us, and we can celebrate Whitney through music. This is the one night of the year that's all about just music, of all genres. And everybody here has been affected by Whitney."
Miranda Lambert on the best way to celebrate Whitney Houston's life tonight

"I don't know who that is, but apparently very popular among the world."
Blake Shelton on losing two awards to an up-and-comer called Taylor Swift

"I'm guessing it may be Adele, but Kanye's nominated, so he may rush the stage. But she's a brawler, she could take him."
Neil Patrick Harris on what could happen when he presents Song of the Year tonight